Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Break Up

[jasonllester]

Terrible news. Adams may not be the most respected person in music, but he was a fantastic, if not always completely consistent voice in American music. He says he's going on a long hiatus, but that the Cardinals are over for good.

"i am a punch-line and a footnote in what is worse to yell at someone besides 'free-bird'. i mean, i lost."

That's a direct quote from his blog today. Sad stuff, and doesn't bode well for a Coachella appearance.

[fiyahhh!]

so somebody yelled Summer of '69 at him?

[Sonicifyouwantit]

so somebody yelled Summer of '69 at him?

thats brian adams not ryan adams

[Sonicifyouwantit]

also he should join m.a.c.o.f. (musicians against the calling out of freebird)

[fiyahhh!]

I know. That's why he gets so pissed when people yell it at him during his shows. He's actually stopped songs and given the heckler their money back and then had them removed.

[Sonicifyouwantit]

I've seen him stop mid song for random things too though...then he just rambles about something and starts a new song.

[fiyahhh!]

I was at a show once where he actually played Summer of '69 after some dude yelled it out. He changed the words to say the guy worked at the dmv and was a fucking loser, etc.

[humanoid]

Terrible news. Adams may not be the most respected person in music, but he was a fantastic, if not always completely consistent voice in American music. He says he's going on a long hiatus, but that the Cardinals are over for good.

"i am a punch-line and a footnote in what is worse to yell at someone besides 'free-bird'. i mean, i lost."

That's a direct quote from his blog today. Sad stuff, and doesn't bode well for a Coachella appearance.

I don't believe for a second that the guy who can't go half a year without releasing something is going on a long hiatus...

[TomAz]

Maybe the time off will do him some good. I used to be a big fan, loved Whiskeytown, loved the first couple of solo albums, but then... ugh. By the time he got to "Love is Hell" I was done.

[gaypalmsprings]

Man, this news really cuts like a knife.

[faxman75]

He did much better on drugs. The on stage meltdowns kept him in the papers and made for edgy fun rock shows.

January 14, 2009 12:05 PM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Ryan Adams will take a hiatus from his band the Cardinals and music in general starting this spring, according to a lengthy blog post on the band's Web site.

Adams says upcoming U.S. shows with the Cardinals, concluding March 20 in Atlanta, will be his last with the group. "I am grateful for the time we have had and maybe someday we will have more stories to tell together," he says. "I am however ready for quieter times as I think it is very evident I am struggling with some balance and hearing issues."

"Know that I am not abandoning anyone, not the Cardinals and not the fans," he continues. "This is just something I need to do now, and that I loved playing music in the Cardinals. And hell, even before I was in a place to try and learn to be well, music was my life source, and Cardinals was such a heavy crush and a real dream. I honor it too much to have any regrets right now. I am just proud."

The news is in stark contrast to Adams' comments to Billboard last fall, when he said he was so happy with the Cardinals that he wasn't interested in recording as a solo artist moving forward. "The stuff we do communally is 10 times better than the stuff I come up with," he said.

Adams has thrived since enlisting the Cardinals -- guitarist/vocalist Neal Casal, bassist Chris Feinstein, pedal steel guitarist Jon Graboff and drummer Brad Pemberton -- as his permanent band in 2005. The group's latest album, last year's "Cardinology," debuted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 91,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.


"Maybe we will play again sometime and maybe I will work my way back into some kind of music situation, but this is the time for me to step back now, to reel it in," Adams said on the blog.

An Adams spokesperson was unavailable for comment on the content of the post.

[fatbastard]

...

[fiyahhh!]

well, he does have a book coming out -- maybe he's going to focus on that.

[fatbastard]

Does he really even need the Cardinals?

[SFChrissy]

I haven't been able to get into his style...but I don't knock him...

[bballarl]

Does he really even need the Cardinals?

He seems to work much more effectively with the Cardinals. Plus, they are airtight as a backing band.

[Sonicifyouwantit]

Man, this news really cuts like a knife.

nice.

[miseducation]

They were headlining a Langerado day, so I'd like to see how that plays out.

[sydaud]

I haven't been able to get into his style...but I don't knock him...

He spent two years bedding Parker Posey. I like his style quite a bit.